Lexus IS 300

After being discontinued following the 2005 model year, the IS 300 nameplate rejoined the IS lineup for 2016. This move allowed Lexus to offer a more affordable, entry-level variant that slotted below the more powerful IS 350 model. The 2016 IS 300 shared the same platform and styling as the IS 350, but it used a detuned version of Lexus’ 3.5-liter V-6 engine that produced 255 horsepower. For 2018, the IS 200t, which was powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, was renamed IS 300. The four-cylinder IS 300 came only with rear-wheel drive and the V-6-powered IS 300 came only with all-wheel drive. This generation of the IS 300 helped expand the IS roster and made the lineup appealing to a wider range of luxury sports sedan buyers. Regular updates over the years have helped keep the basic IS platform relatively fresh, but by the early 2020s, it was struggling to keep up with its more recently redesigned competitors.

The Lexus IS 300 was a compact rear-wheel-drive sports sedan introduced for the 2001 model year. Essentially an Americanized version of the Japanese-market Toyota Altezza, the IS was meant to rival European sports sedans like the Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series. The “300” in its name denoted its engine: a 3.0-liter inline-six-cylinder that made 215 horsepower. Initially, a five-speed automatic was the only transmission offered, but a five-speed manual was added for 2002 along with a SportCross wagon body style. The Lexus IS was redesigned for the 2006 model year, but the IS 300 was replaced by the IS 250, which was powered by a 2.5-liter V-6, and the IS 300 name went on an extended hiatus.